Facebook is suggesting it may eventually charge people to use the social network, as evident by a new pop-up that's displayed when opening the Facebook app on an iPhone with iOS 14.5. It's long been rumored that Facebook could eventually introduce a paid model to use the platform. This latest update from the company hints at that future being closer than expected.
Apple recently released its iOS 14.5 update for the iPhone, with its biggest feature being App Tracking Transparency. After updating to the new software, applications that want to track a user's data across other apps/websites now need to ask permission to do so. This tracking used to happen automatically without needing people's consent, but thanks to iOS 14.5, people can now choose whether they want to allow or deny it. It's a huge win for user privacy, but for companies that rely on this tracking to deliver targeted advertising, it's less than ideal.
Facebook has been the most vocal in speaking out against App Tracking Transparency, and now that iOS 14.5 has been released to the public, it's doubling down on these efforts. As first spotted by reporter Ashkan Soltani, opening the Facebook app in iOS 14.5 now shows a message from Facebook asking users to allow app tracking. Facebook outlines several reasons why people should allow the company to track them, saying that doing so will "Show you ads that are more personalized, support businesses that rely on ads to reach their customers, [and] help keep Facebook free of charge." The Facebook-owned Instagram app shows the same message, as seen in the image below.
Will Facebook Really Force People To Pay If They Don't Allow Tracking?
At first glance, these pop-ups can seem pretty intimidating. No one wants to pay to use Facebook, so if tapping an 'Allow' button helps to keep Facebook and Instagram "free of charge," of course people will be more inclined to enabling tracking. But if enough iPhone users choose not to allow this tracking, does that mean Facebook will start costing money?
While no one can say for sure what Facebook's long-term plans are, the answer is more than likely no. Switching Facebook from a free service to a paid one wouldn't sit right with many people, especially since Facebook has been a completely free website since its inception in 2004. Instead, what all of this likely boils down to is a scare tactic from Facebook. It knows people don't want to pay for Facebook, it wants to keep its targeted ad business in shape, so it's teasing the idea of a paid Facebook experience if users deny the tracking request. So, when that pop-up does appear, don't be afraid to deny Facebook. It won't start costing money, the company will have less user data, and that's a win-win.
Source: Ashkan Soltani